OIOLYKA

Greek Name

Οιολυκα

Transliteration

Oiolyka

Latin Spelling

Oeolyca

Translation

Lone Wolf (oios, lykos)

OIOLYKA (Oeolyca) was a sea-nymph daughter of the hundred-handed giant Briareos (Briareus). She may have been a minor deity of storm-generated wave-surges. According to some, Herakles was sent to fetch her girdle as his one of his Twelve Labours.

Oilokya's name means "Lone Wolf" from the Greek words oios "lone" and lykos "wolf." This perhaps describes the jaws of a large, breaking wave generated by her stormy parents--the storm-giant Briareos and wave-goddess Kymopoleia.

PARENTS

CLASSICAL LITERATURE QUOTES

Ibycus, Fragment 299 (from Scholiast on Apollonius Rhodius) (trans. Campbell, Vol. Greek Lyric III) (C6th B.C.) :
"There are many stories about the girdle [that Herakles was sent to fetch]: some say it belonged to Hippolyta, others to Deilyka (Deilyca). Ibykos (Ibycus) is alone in saying that it belonged to Oiolyka (Oeolyca), daughter of Briareos (Briareus)."